It’s unclear how much of the activity in BTCC will result in inflows for the fund, but the trading volumes are well above an ETF’s typical first day in Canada, according to Bloomberg Intelligence analyst James Seyffart. Although too early to tell, ETF proponents argue that such a fund will trade without the massive premiums plaguing many current Bitcoin trusts in the U.S.
“There’s sizable untapped interest for a Bitcoin investment that has the benefits of an ETF,” said Todd Rosenbluth, CFRA Research’s director of ETF research, adding it’s unlikely the fund will trade at a significant premium-to-net-asset-value. “While most ETFs come to market globally with an educational hurdle to overcome, many investors are familiar with what is inside BTCC,” he noted.
The U.S. currently has several active filings for a Bitcoin ETF, including the ones from VanEck Associates Corp. and Bitwise Asset Management, but the price swings notorious in cryptocurrencies and allegations of industry manipulation remain hurdles to regulator approval. Still, with the world’s largest digital trading near all-time highs and a change of leadership at the Securities and Exchange Commission, analysts say the prospect of a first American Bitcoin ETF appears to be rising.
